Apparatus for controlling the operation of a weaving loom



Sept. 17, 1968 2. RAMBOUSEK 3,401,722

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF A WEAVING LOOM 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed Sept. 9, 1966 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII.

INVENTOR. Zden/f Ra mboaselz ajz ept. 17, 1968 z. RAMBOUSEK 3,401,722

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF A WEAVING LOOM 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed Sept. 9, 1966 i I A INVENTOR. Zdezzli' Ramboasek BYWMW UnitedStates Patent 3,401,722 APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF AWEAVING LOOM Zdenk Rambousek, Liberec, Czechoslovakia, assignor toElitex, Zavody textilniho strojirenstvi, Liberec, Czechoslovakia FiledSept. 9, 1966, Ser. No. 578,199 Claims priority, applicationCzechoslovakia, Sept. 10, 1965, 5,553/65 9 Claims. (Cl. 139-341)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A loom in which the shuttle, after onestroke, is moved from its end position by a displacing mechanism to thestarting position for the return stroke before the latter actuallystarts, and a scanner is released by the displacing mechanism when thelatter is operated by the main drive of the loom, the scanner sensingthe presence of the shuttle and shutting off the loom if the shuttle hasnot arrived. If the shuttle has arrived, the scanner is deactivated bythe displacing mechanism to keep the loom in operation during themovement of the shuttle from the end position to the starting position.

The present invention relates to weaving looms.

In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus forcontrolling the operation of a weaving loom.

As is well known, during the operation of a loom a shuttle thereof movesthrough the shed of warp yarns while laying a weft yarn across the warpyarns, and in this way the shuttle moves back and forth through theshed. When the shuttle reaches the end of one of its strokes, it is fedback through a given distance to a starting position in preparation forthe next pass through the shed. The present invention deals particularlywith the control of looms in connection with the movement of the shuttlein the region of the end of one of its strokes and while the shuttle isadvanced to the starting position for the next stroke.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide apparatus forsensing the presence of a shuttle, in properly timed relation withrespect to the other moving components of the loom, when the shuttle isin the region of the end of one of its strokes and as the shuttle isadvanced to the starting position for its next stroke, the method andapparatus of the present invention providing for continued operation ofthe loom in the event that the shuttle moves in properly timed relationwith the other loom components and providing for automatic stopping ofthe operation of the loom in the event that the shuttle is not properlypositioned.

Various mechanical and electrical structures are known for controlling aloom in accordance with whether or not a shuttle thereof is operating inproperly timed relationship with the other loom components. However, themechanical structures which are known for this purpose are extremelycomplex not only with respect to the mechanical structure itself butalso with respect to its manner of operation. The known electricalstructure provided for a similar purpose is also for the most part veryexpensive and complicated, and because of the vibration of the loomelectronic components of known electrical structures do not have a longoperating life and require skilled personnel to maintain the looms in asatisfactory operating condition.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to avoid thesedrawbacks and to provide a relatively simple mechanical structure whichis capable of electrically controlling the loom so as to stop theoperation thereof 3,401,722 Patented Sept. 17, 1968 automatically in theevent that the shuttle is not operating properly.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide aconstruction where the mechanical part of the structure does not in anyway disturb the electrical structure unless the shuttle is not operatingproperly, so that as long as the shuttle moves in poperly timed sequencewith the other loom components the electrical structure is not actuatedand thus is assured a long operating life.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide not onlyapparatus for automatically terminating the operation of the loom in theevent that the shuttle is not operating properly, but in addition toprovide apparatus capable of readily indicating to the operator thatimproper movement of the shuttle has brought about stopping of theoperation of the loom.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide apparatuswhich render it extremely simple for the operator to reset the loom tocontinue proper operation thereof in the even that an improper operationhas been detected.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provideapparatus which can be located at each side of the loom with thoseoperations and mechanisms at one side being completely independent ofthose at the other side, so that the events which take-place at one sideof the loom will have no influence on the operation and mechanism at theother side thereof.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide apparatus whichmake it extremely convenient to change the timing of the loom operationso that the apparatus of the present invention are easily adapted todifferent speeds of operation for the loom.

According to the present invention the shutttle reaches, at the end ofone of its strokes, a position in engagement with a displacing meanswhich displaces the shuttle from its end position to a starting positionfor the next stroke, and a scanning means is provided for sensing thepresence of the shuttle. A releasable holding means releasably holds thescanning means in a rest position preparatory to sensing the presence ofa shuttle, and when the displacing means displaces the shuttle from itsend position the releasable holding means is displaced by the displacingmeans from a holding position to a release position releasing thescanning means for movement from its rest position into a position whereit will sense the presence of a shuttle. The structure of the inventionincludes a return-control means which controls the return of thescanning means to its rest position, and this return-control means isalso operatively connected with the shuttle displacing means to beactuated by the latter. A connecting means of the invention connects thereturn-control means with the displacing means in such a way that whilethe return-control means is capable of moving with the displacing means,the latter is also capable of moving with respect to the return-controlmeans. In the event that the scanning means of the invention does notsense the presence of a shuttle, it will move beyond a given distance toa blocking position where it will engage the returncontrol means tomaintain the latter stationary during continued movement of thedisplacing means, and in this way the blocked return-control means willprevent return of the scanning means to its rest position. The fact thatthe scanning means has not returned to its rest position is easilyrecognized by the operator of the loom, and in addition a loom-stoppingswitch is actuated by movement of the scanning means to its blockingposition for automatically terminating the operation of the loom.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the I) accompanyingdrawings which form part of this application and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a structure according to thepresent invention, the parts being shown in FIG. 1 in an initialposition thereof;

FIG. 2 shows the structure of FIG. 1 during operation thereof when theshuttle is operating properly;

FIG. 3 shows the position which the parts of FIGS 1 and 2 assume afterthe shuttle has been advanced to its starting position, assuming thatthe parts are operating properly;

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation illustrating when the structure ofFIGS. 13 has almost returned to the position shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration, showing the position which the partsof FIGS. 14 assume in the event that the shuttle is not operating inproperly timed sequence with the other components of the loom.

Referring now to the drawings, the loom-controlling structure includes ascanning means which will scan the presence or absence of a shuttle 1 inthe region of the end of one of its strokes and while it is displaced toa starting position for the next stroke. This scanning means includes ascanning member 2 and a lever 3 which is pivotally mounted intermediateits ends by a pivotal support 4, so that the lever 3 is a two-armedlever turnable about the pivot axis provided by the pivot support 4which is diagrammatically shown in the drawings and which provides forthe lever 3 a turning axis which is normal to the plane of the drawings.The scanning member 2 is carried by the left end of the lever 3, asviewed in FIG. 1, and for this purpose a pivot 29 mounts the scanningmember 2 on the left end of the lever 3 in such a way that the scanningmember 2 is capable of turning in a clockwise direction at the pivot pin29 up to the position shown in FIG. 1 but no further, while at the sametime the scanning member 2 is free to turn in a counterclockwisedirection about the pivot 29 from the position of the scanning member 2which. is indicated in FIG. 1. For this purpose any suitable stop pinsmay be carried by the scanning member 2 and the pivot 29', engaging eachother to limit clock-wise turning of the scanning member 2 up to theposition shown in FIG. 1 while freeing the scanning member 2 for turningmovement in a counterclockwise direction from the position thereof shownin FIG. 1.

The pivotal supporting structure 4 is a stationary structure carried bythe loom frame and providing a fixed turning axis for the lever 3.

Thus, the lever 3 has one arm which carries the scanning member 2, andthe other arm of the lever 3 carries a projection 5 of the scanningmeans, this projection extending upwardly from the right end of thelever 3, as viewed in FIG. 1, and having a pair of inclined uppersurfaces 6 and 7 which intersect each other in the manner shown inFIG. 1. In addition, the projection has a rear substantially verticalsurface 8. The inclined surfaces 6 and 7 intersect at the crest 30 ofthe projection 5 which is fixedly carried by the lever 3.

Finally, the scanning means includes a spring 9 which acts on the lever3, in the manner shown diagrammatically in the drawings, so as to tendto turn the lever 3 in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot 4,and thus the scanning means of the invention tends to move from theillustrated position thereof, shown in FIG. 1, which is a rest positionof the scanning means, into a position such as that shown in FIGS. 2 and5 where the lever 3 has been displaced by the spring 9* in acounterclockwise direction about the pivot 4 beyond the rest positionshown in FIG. 1. It is to be noted that in the position of FIG. 2 thescanning means has turned through a first predetermined distance, while,in the position of FIG. 5, the scanning means has turned beyond thislatter distance.

The structure of the invention includes a loonrcontrolling switch means11 which is a quick-acting switch capable of stopping the operation ofthe entire loom when the switch 11 is open. The switch 11 is a normallyclosed switch which will tend to remain closed until it is posi tivelyopened, and the bridging contact of the switch 11 has a depending arm 10fixed thereto and situated in the path of movement of the lever 3 whenit turns beyond the distance indicated in FIG. 2 to a position such asthat indicated in FIG. 5. When the scanning means has turned beyond thegiven distance indicated by a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2, therefore,the scanning means will engage the switch-actuating arm 10 and willautomatically open the switch 11, as indicated in FIG. 5, so as to stopthe operation of the loom. The manner in which the loom operation isterminated by opening of the switch 11 is known per se.

A releasable holding means 12 coacts with the scanning means toreleasably hold the latter in its rest position shown in FIG. 1. Thisreleasable holding means 12 cooperates directly with the projection 5and includes a conical portion which merges into a cylindrical extension31.

A displacing means is provided for displacing the shuttle 1 from the endposition A, shown in solid lines in FIG. 1, to the left, as viewed inFIG. 1, to its starting position B indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 1,and this shuttledisplacing means is fixed with an elongated rod 13 whichextends in the direction in which the displacing means moves and whichfixedly carries at its left end, as viewed in the drawings, thereleasable holding means 12, so that the latter is constrained to movewith the displacing means. The displacing means includes an elongatedhon'zontal rod 15 which at its left end, as viewed in the drawings,carries a pad 16' or the like which is directly engaged by the shuttle 1when the latter reaches the end of a stroke thereof. The horizontal rod15 of the displacing means is guided for horizontal movement by asuitable guide 13, and it is fixed with a transverse rod 14 which is inturn fixed to the horizontal rod 13 which fixedly carries the releasableholding means 12, so that the rods 13 and 15 are parallel to each otherand will move as a unit by reason of their interconnection by thetransverse rod 14. This displacing means of the invention is moved froman initial position shown in FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrow shownin the right of FIG. 2 in order to displace the shuttle 1 from its endposition A into its starting position B. The rod 13 is guided forhorizontal movement by a suitable guide 17, and the forward and reversemovement of the displacing means is brought about by way of a known camstructure of the loom carried by the main loom shaft and coacting with apush-pull rod 19 fixed to and extending from the transverse rod 14, sothat during rotation of the main loom shaft the displacing means shownin the drawings will be reciprocated back and forth.

A portion of the rod 13 is threaded and carries a nut 20 which forms astop member of a return-control means which includes in addition to thestop member 20 a sleeve 21, 27 having a pair of telescoped tubes one ofwhich is formed by the larger outer hollow tube 21 which is ofcylindrical configuration and through which the rod 13 freely extends.The machine frame includes a stationary guide 22 formed with acylindrical opening in which the tube 21 is guided for axial movement,the axis of this tube 21 coinciding with the axis of the rod 13 which iscapable of moving through and with respect to the tube 21. A frictionmeans is provided for retarding the movement of the tube 2 1, and thisfriction means includes a friction block 23 urged by a spring 24 intoengagement with the lower exterior portion of the tube 21 and situatedtogether with the spring 24 in a suitable opening 25 of the machineframe, as illustrated.

The return-control means of the invention, which includes the stopmember 20 and the tube 21, is connected to the rod 13 of theshuttle-displacing means by way of a connecting means which provides formovement of the return-control means with the displacing means while atthe same time providing, when necessary, movement of the displacingmeans with respect to the return-control means. For this purpose, theconnecting means includes a coil spring 26 situated in the interior ofthe tube 21 and coiled about the rod 13, this spring being undercompression in the hollow tube 21. The transverse end walls of the tube21 are formed with central openings through which the rod 13 freelypasses.

As was indicated above, the sleeve 21, 27 is a telescoped sleeve ofwhich the tube 21 forms one part, and the telescoped sleeve includes asecond tube 27 through which the rod 13 also freely passes, this tube 27extending into the larger tube 21 and having at its left end a flange 28situated in the interior of the tube 21 to engage the right end wallthereof as viewed in FIG. 1, so as to limit movement of the innertelescoped tube 27 outwardly from the outer telescoped tube 21. Thespring 26 engages the flanged end 28 of the inner telescoped tube 27 totend to displace the latter outwardly to the position shown in FIG. 1with respect to the outer tube 21. Distant from the telescoped tube 21of the sleeve of the invention, the smaller telescoped tube 27 also hasa flanged end which is directed toward the stop member 20.

It is to be noted that a structure as described above and shown in thedrawings is situated at one side of the loom while an identicalstructure is situated at the other side of the loom.

The above described structure operates in the following manner:

In the initial position of the parts, indicated in FIG. 1, but beforethe shuttle 1 has reached the end of one of its strokes to assume theposition shown in solid lines in FIG. 1, the cylindrical extension 31 ofthe releasable holding means 12 engages the crest the scanning means andholds the latter in the rest position illustrated in FIG. 1 inopposition to the spring 9 of the scanning means. In this position, thebottom sensing tip of the scanner member 2 is located at a distance Xabove the shuttle 1. At this time the right arm of the lever 3, whichcarries the projection 5, is situated at a greater distance Y beneaththe bottom end of the switchactuating arm of the switch means 11. Thepair of rods 13 and of the advancing means are at their right endpositions, also indicated by the position A in the drawings, and this isthe initial position of the displacing means. At this time there is adistance Z between the stop member and the right end of the innertelescoped tube 27 of the sleeve 21, 27 of the return-control means ofthe invention.

Assuming that the parts are operating in properly timed sequence, assoon as the shuttle 1 engages the pad 16 and reaches the end of one ofits strokes, the main shaft of the loom turns to act on the displacingmeans to advance the latter to the left from its initial position shownin FIG. 1 through the position ShOWn in FIG. 2, the displacing meanscontinuing to move to the left up to the position shown in FIG. 3. Thus,the rod 19 as well as the rods 13 and 15 will be displaced horizontallyto the left, as viewed in the drawings, and as a result the cylindricalextension 31 of the releasable holding means 12 is displaced from thecrest 30 of the projection 5 so that the releasable holding means 12assumes a release position releasing the scanning means for movement byits spring 9 in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot 4.

During this movement of the scanning means from its rest position twopossible situations can occur. The first situation is that the shuttle 1is operating properly and has reached its end position A in properlytimed relation with the other components, while the second situation isone where the shuttle has not reached its right end position at theproper moment.

The first of these situations is indicated in FIG. 2. In this case, thescanning means will turn from the rest 30 of the projection 5 ofposition of FIG. 1 only through the relatively small extent required todisplace the scanner member 2 downwardly through the distande X so thatthe bottom tip of the scanner member will engage the upper surface ofthe shuttle 1. Inasmuch as the distance Y is greater than the distanceX, the right arm of the lever 3 cannot engage the switch-actuating arm10, so that the switch means 11 remains closed and the loom continue tooperate. Thus, there is no interruption in the operation of the loom ifthe shuttle 1 has reached its end position A at the proper moment.

The pair of parallel horizontal rods 13 and 15 of the displacing means,in the meantime, continue to move to the left from the initial positionA, and thus the displacing means displaces the shuttle 1 to its startingposition in preparation for the next stroke thereof. During thismovement, the stop member 20 approaches the right end of the sleeve 21,27, reducing the distance Z between the sleeve and the stop member, andthe sleeve 21, 27 remains in the position of FIG. 1 until engaged by thestop member 20, the friction means 23, 24 acting at this time tocontribute to the maintenance of the return-control means 21, 27 in theposition of FIG. 1 while the displacing means moves with respect to thereturn-control means. After having moved through the distance Z,however, the stop member 20 engages the flange at the right end of thetube 27 and because of the compression of the spring 26 and the tube 27is not telescoped into the tube 21. Now the return-control means 21, 27moves with the advancing shuttle and the displacing means whichdisplaces the shuttle toward the position B. Of course, the force of thespring 26 is such that the tube 21 slides with respect to the frictionmeans 23, 24 at this time, overcoming the force of the friction means.

As a result the lower surface portion of the tube 21 engages theinclined surface 7 of the projection 5 and turns the scanning means inopposition to the spring 9 back toward its rest position in a clockwisedirection about the pivot 4, as viewed in the drawings. After advancingalong the inclined surface 7, the tube 21 moves along the crest 30 ofthe projection 5, so that now the parts have the position shown in FIG.3, and this is the position which the parts take when the shuttle 1 hasbeen displaced from its end position shown in solid lines in FIG. 1 toits starting position shown in solid lines in FIG. 3. The bottom tip ofthe scanner member 2 is again at a distance X above the shuttle 1, whichhas been displaced to its starting position. When the parts have reachedthe position of FIG. 3, the control operations have been terminated forthe purpose of returning the shuttle to a starting position inpreparation for the next stroke thereof and for continuing theuninterrupted operation of the loom.

The cam at the main loom shaft now acts on the rod 19 to return theparts toward their initial position shown in FIG. 1. The rods 13 and 15move toward the right, and when the rod 13 has again moved through thedistance Z, the releasable holding means 12 engages the left end of thetube 21 of the return-control means to displace the latter with the rod13 to the right back to the initial position shown in FIG. 1. Duringthis movement of the return-control means 21, 27 back toward theposition of FIG. 1, the friction of the friction means 23, 24 is againovercome. At this time the hollow tube 21 will move to the right beyondthe crest 30 of the projection 5 and along the inclined surface 7thereof. However, before the hollow tube 21 moves beyond the surface 7,the inclined portion formed by the conical end of the releasable holdingmeans 12 engages the inclined surface 6 of the projection 5, so as toprovide a cooperation between the components which is illustrated inFIG. 4, and this operation continues until the cylindrical extension 31again engages the crest 30, so that the parts are again in the positionof FIG. 1 and the spring 9 is incapable of turning the scanning meansfrom its rest position through a distance greater than the distance X.Thus, at this time also the scanning means does not engage theswitch-actuating arm 10, so that the operation of the loom is notinterrupted. In this way the parts will again be returned to theposition of FIG. 1 where the left end wall of the sleeve 21 is situatedat a distance T to the right beyond the vertical end surface 8 of theprojection 5.

Assuming now that the second of the above situations occurs, namely asituation Where the shuttle does not reach its end position A at theproper moment, either because it simply does not move up to thisposition or approaches this position when it is too late, in comparisonwith the movement of the other components, then the parts willautomatically assume the position shown in FIG. 5. Thus, assuming thatthe displacing means is displaced toward the left from its initialposition before the shuttle reaches its end position A and has alreadyreached the position shown in FIG. 2 without the shuttle being presentat its end position, then the spring 9 will be capable of turning thescanning means beyond the position of FIG. 2 into the position of FIG.5. As a result the lever 3 of the scanning means will engage theswitchactuating arm 10 and will automatically open the switch 11 so thatin a known way the operation of the loom is terminated. The lever 3 canat this time turn through a distance greater than the distance Y becausethere is no shuttle 1 to engage the scanner member 2 and interrupt thetendency of the lever 3 to be turned about the pivot 4 by the spring 9.

The latter operations take place while the stop member 20 is movingthrough the distance Z and has not yet engaged the return-control means21, 27. As a result, the projection 5 becomes situated in front of theleft end wall of the tube 21 with the end surface S of the projection 5overlapping the tube 21, so that the scanning means has now beendisplaced to a blocking position where it will block the movement of thereturn-control means 21, 27 with the rod 13 of the displacing means. Assoon as the tube 21 engages the surface 8 of the projection 5, thecontinued movement of the displacing means causes the stop 20 totelescope the tube 27 into the tube 21, thus further compressing thespring 26, so that in this way the connecting means provided by thespring 26 will enable the displacing means to move with respect to thereturn control means. The rod 13 will simply continue to move until theentire loom comes to a stop, this continued move ment of the displacingmeans being brought about by the inertia of the loom components.

If the shuttle 1 reaches its position too late, either after or whilethe scanning means has moved beyond the distance X, then the scannermember 2 is capable of turning at its pivotal connection 29 with thelever 3 into the dotted line position indicated in FIG. 5. In this case,the impulse for terminating the loom operation has already beenprovided.

The parts are returned from the position of FIG. 5 into the position ofFIG. 1 in the following manner:

When the main loom shaft turns, the rods 13 and will move toward theright, so that the conical part of the releasable holding means 12 at agiven moment will engage the inclined surface 6 of the projection 5. Asa result, the scanning lever 3 is turned in opposition to the spring 9about the pivot 4 in a clockwise direction until the cylindricalextension 31 engages the crest 30 of the projection 5, so that thereleasable holding means 12 has displaced the return-control means 21,27 back into the position of FIG. 1.

As is apparent from the above description, the switch means 11 is onlyactuated in the case where the shuttle 1 has not reached its endposition in properly timed relation with the other loom components, sothat the extent to which the switch means 11 is used is extremely small.

In the event that the shuttle 1 does not reach its end position A, thenthe parts will remain in the position shown in FIG. 5, and theoperations of the loom can again be resumed only after the cause of thestoppage has been eliminated. The cause of the trouble can be eliminatedby turning the loom back and manually displacing the shuttle to its endposition A. Inasmuch as the structure of the invention remains, duringimproper operation, in the position shown in FIG. 5, the operator canvery quickly observe the reason for the interruption in the loomoperation.

The operation of the above described assemblies at the opposite sides ofthe loom are completely independent of each other, so that theoccurrence of faulty operation on one side of the loom does notinfluence the operations at the other side thereof.

When the speed of operation of the loom is changed, the time duringwhich the scanner member 2 engages the shuttle 1 can be regulated byturning the nut 20 on the threaded portion of the rod 13, so as tochange the distance Z.

I claim:

1. In a weaving loom, the combination comprising a shuttle moving in onedirection to a given end position at the end of one stroke, displacingmeans engaged by said shuttle when it reaches the end of said stroke anddisplacing said shuttle in an opposite direction to a starting positionfor the next stroke thereof, scanning means having a rest positionsituated adjacent said shuttle when the latter is at the end of said onestroke thereof, said scanning means tending to move from a given restposition into engagement with the shuttle to sense the presence thereofduring displacement of said shuttle from said end position to saidstarting position thereof by said displacing means, releasable holdingmeans coacting with said scanning means for releasably holding thelatter in said rest position thereof, said releasable holding meansbeing displaceable from a holding position to a release positionreleasing said scanning means for movement from said rest positionthereof toward the shuttle, and said displac ing means. beingoperatively connected to said releasable holding means for displacingthe latter from said holding to said release position while saiddisplacing means advances said shuttle from said end position to saidstarting position thereof, so that at the latter time said scanningmeans is released for scanning the presence of a shuttle, return-controlmeans coacting with said scanning means for controlling the returnthereof to said rest position, and connecting means connecting saidreturn-control means to said displacing means for movement therewith inthe event that said scanning means senses the presence of a shuttle,said connecting means providing for movement of said displacing meanswith respect to said returncontrol means upon blocking of the movementof said return-control means with said displacing means when the latteracts to displace a shuttle from its end position to its startingposition, and said scanning means, when it does not sense the presenceof a shuttle, assuming a blocking position engaging said return-controlmeans and preventing movement thereof with said displacing means whilemaintaining said return-control means in a position preventing return ofsaid scanning means to its rest position.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said scanning means moves in agiven direction from its rest position through a given distance to sensethe presence of a shuttle, and said scanning means moving in said givendirection through a distance greater than said given distance, when itdoes not sense the presence of a shuttle, into its blocking position toblock movement of said return-control means with said displacing means,and electrical switch means for stopping the operation of the loom, saidswitch means being situated in the path of movement of said scanningmeans at a location where said scanning means will engage said switchmeans to place it in an open, loom-stopping position only when saidscanning means moves beyond said given distance from its rest positionupon failing to sense the presence of a shuttle, so that the loom isautomatically stopped if the shuttle is not operating properly.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said scanning means includes aturnable lever carrying a scanning member and a projection, saiddisplacing means including an elongated rod extending in the directionof movement of said displacing means and fixedly carrying saidreleasable holding means, the latter engaging said projection tomaintain said scanning means in its rest position when said displacingmeans is in an initial position from which it moves while displacingsaid shuttle from its end position to its starting position, saiddisplacing means acting through said rod thereof on said releasableholding means to displace the latter away from said projection torelease said scanning means for movement from its rest position duringdisplacement of a shuttle from its end position to its startingposition, said return-control means including a sleeve surrounding andaxially movable along said rod of said displacing means toward and awayfrom said releasable holding means and a stop member carried by said rodat the side of said sleeve opposite from said releasable holding meansto limit movement of said sleeve between said releasable holding meansand said stop member, thus controlling the distance that said sleevemoves away from said releasable holding means, said sleeve having aninitial position adjacent said releasable holding means and spaced fromsaid stop member so that said rod will move with respect to said sleeveuntil said stop member engages the same during an initial increment ofmovement of said displacing means from its initial position, and saidscanning means when sensing the presence of a shuttle preventingmovement of said projection thereof into the path of movement of saidsleeve while said stop member approaches the latter and said projectionbecoming situated in the path of movement of said sleeve when saidscanning means moves through a distance greater than said given distancewhen not sensing the presence of a shuttle, so that said projection willthen engage said sleeve when said stop member of said rod engages saidsleeve to tend to displace the latter together with said displacingmeans, said connecting means then providing for movement of saiddisplacing means with respect to said return-control means while thelatter is blocked by said scanning means which assumes its blockingposition where said projection engages said sleeve to prevent movementthereof with said displacing means.

4. The combination of claim 3 and wherein said stop member includes anut threadedly adjustable along said rod so as to determine the positionof said sleeve on said rod when engaged by said stop member, and saidsleeve including a pair of telescoped tubes one of which is adjacentsaid stop member and the other of which is adjacent said releasableholding means, said connecting means including a spring in one of saidtelescoped tubes engaging the other of said telescoped tubes and saidspring yielding during movement of said one telescoped tube by said stopmember into said other telescoped portion upon blocking of said sleeveby said projection of said scanning means.

5. The combination of claim 3 and wherein said displacing means includesa second rod parallel to said firstmentioned rod and carrying a memberengaging said shuttle, said displacing means including a transverse rodinterconnecting and extending between said parallel rods.

6. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said scanning means includes aturnable lever carrying a scanning member and a projection, saiddisplacing means including an elongated rod which moves with saiddisplacing means and said releasable holding means being fixedly carriedby said rod and engaging said projection to maintain said scanning meansin its rest position when said displacing means is in a given initialposition before moving to displace a shuttle from its end position toits starting position, so that during the latter movement the releasableholding means will be displaced away from said projection to releasesaid scanning means for movement from its rest position toward a shuttleto engage the latter latter with said rod while upon engaging said withsaid scanning member, said lever moving beyond a given distance whensaid scanning member does not sense the presence of a shuttle, so as tosituate said projection in a blocking position when a shuttle is notpresent to be sensed by said scanning member, said return-control meansincluding an elongated sleeve slidable on said rod and located adjacentsaid releasable holding means when said displacing means is in saidinitial position thereof, said rod carrying a stop member spaced fromsaid sleeve when said displacing means is in said initial positionthereof, and said sleeve remaining stationary while said rod moves withrespect thereto until said stop member engages said sleeve to displacethe latter with said rod, so that,

until engagement of said sleeve by said stop member, there is formedbetween said releasable holding means and said sleeve a space which canreceive said projection of said scanning means in the event that thelatter moves beyond said given distance when there is no shuttle presentto be engaged by said scanning member, said sleeve being advanced bysaid stop member, when said scanning member engages a shuttle, togetherwith said rod to a position engaging said projection to hold saidscanning means in the region of its rest position even after a shuttleis displaced beyond said scanning member by said displacing means, andsaid projection acting on said sleeve to frictionally maintain thelatter stationary with respect to said rod during return movement of thelatter until said releasable holding means engages said sleeve todisplace the sleeve said releasable holding member will also engage saidprojection to maintain said scanning means in the region of its restposition while said displacing means returns to its initial position.

7. The combination of claim 6 and wherein a loomstopping switch means issituated in a path along which said lever of said scanning means movesonly when it moves beyond said given distance when there is no shuttlepresent to be engaged by said scanning member, so that said switch meanswill be engaged and opened by said scanning means to stop the operationof the loom when there is no shuttle present to be sensed by saidscanning means.

8. The combination of claim 7 and wherein said lever of said scanningmeans is a two-armed lever supported for turning movement intermediateits ends and having a pair of arms one of which carries said scanningmember and the other of which carries said projection, and said scanningmeans including a spring engaging said lever thereof and tending to turnsaid lever from said rest position to a position where said scanningmember will engage a shuttle and beyond the latter position in the eventthat a shuttle is not present to be engaged by said scanning member.

9. The combination of claim 6 and wherein a friction means coacts withsaid sleeve for retarding the movement thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 827,937 8/1906 ODonnell 139-341 X2,475,505 7/1949 Kronoff et a1 139-341 2,538,798 1/ 1951 Pfarrwaller139-336 3,332,452 7/1967 Mzyk et a1. 139-341 FOREIGN PATENTS 569,840 2/1933 Germany.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. J. KEE CHI, Assistant Examiner.

